Fall Apart
by Shimmer Shy
Summary: Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo don't admit to being Anon-a-miss, leaving the truth untold and all blame on Sunset. Feeling as though she's no longer wanted in the human world, Sunset goes back to Equestria. Little does she know, Canterlot High falls apart without her and its connection to Equestria. (Alternate ending to the 2014 Anon-a-miss comic.)
1. It Wasn't Us!

"What?!" Sunset Shimmer stared at the three younger girls in shock. Each of them had a similar look of surprise on their faces, one of which was meant to seem innocent. But a hint of guilt tugged at the edges, barely noticeable. "But...I was sure-"

"Cut the act, Sunset," Rainbow Dash growled. "Can't you just be honest with us for once?"

"I'm trying! You guys don't under-"

"Gosh, girl! Quit the lyin'!" Sunset's efforts to defend herself were cut off by Applejack, who sighed. "Tell you what. You tell us all the truth, take down 'Anon-a-miss's' page, 'n all will be forgiven."

Sunset's hands were balled up into fists as she tried to conceal her rage. She couldn't understand why they didn't believe her. Did they not see that she had changed? Had she not proven herself to be trustworthy? Apparently not.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and let herself relax. "I have told you once, and I will tell you again. I am not 'Anon-a-miss'. Now, you can believe them-" She gestured to Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, who had been shooting each other terrified glances throughout the argument, and who were suddenly drawn to attention. "-and avoid me for the rest of your lives, or you can believe me and give me a chance to prove myself."

Rarity spoke up. "I'm sorry, Sunset, darling, but I'm afraid there is nothing to prove. I know my little sister well enough to know she'd never do anything like this, and I'm sure her friends wouldn't, either. There's no reason for them to."

Though Sunset hated to admit it, Rarity had a point. There was no logical reason for them to frame her. None that she could see, at least. But they had to be behind this; there was no other way. She knew she herself was not responsible, surely none of her friends-or, ex-friends-were, and no one else could have gotten the pictures and secrets. If only she could find a way to expose the three...

"Well, Sunset, I guess you have our answer," Applejack frowned and turned away from her, crossing her arms.

"Yeah. I think it's best if you just leave. Now." Rainbow's harsh tone left Sunset dumbfounded. She wanted to be trusted again-she really did-but that seemed impossible now. Her own friends had turned on her, and there was nothing she could do.

Sunset could tell she was no longer wanted here. "Fine. I-I guess I will," she said, her voice wavering slightly. And with that, she turned and walked away. The café had grown dead-silent. The only sounds that could be heard were the click of Sunset's heels on the tile floor and the ring of the little bell above the door as it closed behind her.

Outside, the blizzard-like snowfall had slowed to a small flurry. The half-foot deep snow crunched under Sunset's boots as she slid away from the café windows and leaned against a brick building beside it. Her mittened hands moved up and down her arms, trying to both warm her and comfort her. It wasn't hard to see she was holding back tears.

 _Well, here I am again,_ she thought to herself, looking up at the sky and letting snowflakes gently land on her face. _Cold and alone on the holidays. Just like old times, huh?_

She took in a breath and held it, internally chastising herself for even thinking about that. Her friends would get over it eventually and figure out she wasn't who they thought. But she still couldn't get over the fact that the Crusaders were 'Anon-a-miss', let alone that they had lied about it. She saw them as family just as much as Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash did. She couldn't imagine why they'd do this to her.

 _But what if they never find the truth?_ Sunset wondered. _Where else can I go?_

Just at that moment, she felt a buzzing at her side, and when she looked down, she saw her orange bag was vibrating. She reached in and grabbed her glowing book and a pen, opening up the book to the page her conversation with Twilight had left off. New words had appeared on the page.

 ** _Hey, Sunset. Is everything ok? Did you clear up the whole 'Anon-a-miss' thing with the girls?_**

Sunset sighed and put her pen to the paper, supporting the book with her left hand and writing with her right.

 _Not exactly. I think talking to them just made things worse. I did figure out who Anon-a-miss really is, though._

 ** _Really? Who?_**

 _The Cutie Mark Crusaders, but they won't admit it._

 ** _Are you sure it's them?_**

 _Positive._

There was a pause.

 _Twi, are you still there?_

 ** _Yeah. Just...thinking._**

 _Can I tell you something?_

 ** _Anything._**

 _Well, I don't think I want to go to Canterlot High anymore. I don't want to be somewhere where everyone hates me. Not again. But I don't exactly have anywhere else to go._

 ** _You could always come back to Equestria._**

Another pause.

 _I guess so. Do you think Princess Celestia would accept me?_

 ** _Of course! Celestia misses you so much! Besides, I'm sure she forgave you a very long time ago. I can get the portal open for you, if you do want to come home._**

Sunset closed the book for a moment to think, which was hard to do in the freezing snow. She looked at her options. If she did decide to go back, she'd have a chance to restart with Princess Celestia and she would be back home, which she missed greatly. And she could always come back if things didn't work out. If she stayed, she might be able to get her friends back on her side, but that still left a whole school against her. The answer seemed as obvious as anything, but Sunset was still hesitant to write it down.

 _Alright. I'll be there._

 ** _Great! I guess I'll see you later, then?_**

 _I guess you will._

Sunset smiled as she closed the book once again. She couldn't believe she was actually going home. It made her happy and nervous at the same time as she put the book away and walked back towards Canterlot High. When she passed the café, she quickly glanced in. The five girls were chatting together as if nothing had happened. Sunset continued on her way.

When she got to the high school, she quickly spotted the Wondercolts statue, right in the middle of the front yard. She touched a finger to the stone to check if the portal was open. Sure enough, her whole hand went through as if the statue wasn't even there. With a deep breath and a muttered reassurance, she finally had the courage to step through.


	2. Home Again

Sunset emerged on the other side of the portal in Equestria, stepping out of the mirror on her hind legs. After a few moments of wobbling in the awkward stance, gravity got the best of her and all four hooves hit the ground. Before the unicorn could even take in her surroundings, she felt someone embrace her. She turned her head and recognized the purple alicorn princess, Twilight Sparkle, and hugged her back.

"I'm so glad you came!" Twilight exclaimed, squeezing Sunset's neck harder.

"Can't. Breathe..." Sunset choked and, with a nervous giggle, Twilight let her go. At that moment, Sunset finally had the chance to get a good look around her. The mirror obviously wasn't in the same place it was before. The room she was in had the same type of crystalline structure, but unlike the castle in the Crystal Empire, it was filled with books. _This must be Twilight's castle,_ she concluded.

"I'm sorry about what happened," Twilight tilted her head in concern, causing Sunset to flinch, lowering her head to cover her face with her mane. "You know, I can go back to help you sort it out."

"No, I-I'm good. I think I just...need some time away." Sunset sighed, before her eyes widened in realization. "Oh, gosh! I think I left my book back at Canterlot High!"

"It's fine, Sunset," Twilight reassured. "That's...actually kind of a good thing. Right now, the books are the only things keeping the two worlds together. I'm using Princess Celestia's to keep the portal open." She pointed at the slightly worn, brown book, which also had the Princess of the Sun's cutie mark on it. Sunset's expression didn't change.

"Yeah, but I forgot where I left it. For all I know, it could be sitting on the grass, right next to the portal. Anyone could just-"

Twilight held up a hoof to cut off Sunset's freak out. A sympathetic smile spread across her face. "We can worry about that later. I'm sure you've been through a lot today, and the

thing you need is another problem. Why don't I show you around a bit? To get your mind off of things."

"Alright!" The glee Sunset felt shone in her voice and on her radiant face. Just being around Twilight raised her spirits, and she was sure she'd be feeling better in no time. The click of the pair's hooves against crystal echoed around the large room as they made their way to the exit. A pink aura surrounded the door as Twilight opened it with her magic, and when the both of them had entered the next room-

"SURPRISE!"

A terrified gasp escaped their mouths at the sudden exclamation, followed by a jump when they heard a loud pop. The next thing they knew, multi-colored confetti was raining down on them, sticking in their mane and tail. Once again in sync, Twilight and Sunset turned their heads in the direction of the source. Sure enough, the bubblegum pink earth pony stood at the side with her glimmering turquoise party canon.

Pinkie Pie wore a wide, toothy smile on her face. Sunset Shimmer recognized the frizzy, fuschia hair anywhere, whether she was a girl or a pony. Not to mention the party canon. That was also a huge giveaway.

Though she was happy to see the alternate version of her friend, Sunset couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger towards her. It wasn't only Pinkie, though. It was all of her friends, if she could even call them that anymore. She still couldn't believe the unkindness they were capable of showing, considering the fact that she had always known them to work things out together. But she knew she couldn't blame it on their pony counterparts.

"WELCOME HOME, SUNSET!" Pinkie shouted at the top of her lungs, shaking Sunset out of her thoughts. She wrapped her arms around Sunset multiple times, only for them to unravel again. "I mean, I know I've never met you, well, I have, but that was when you were a meanie and you stole Twily's crown, but I'm still SUPER-EXTRA excited and happy to see you anyway!" She said quickly in her usual Pinkie way, leaving her panting for air. Sunset giggled lightly, unable to hold it back.

"Thanks, Pinkie," replied with a grin.

"Uh, hello! We're here, too!" came a slightly raspy voice from in front of them. Looking over, Sunset noticed six large, crystal chairs-thrones, rather-each with a different cutie mark embedded in them. They were positioned in a circle so that anyone sitting in them would be facing the middle of it. A smaller one was positioned next to the throne she assumed was Twilight's. It didn't take her too long to figure out the small one was Spike's.

In the thrones sat four ponies (and one dragon, of course), the cutie marks on their flanks matching the ones on their seats. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy. She recognized each one without a cinch.

Twilight headed towards the center of the circle, Sunset trailing behind her. There was a table in the center that seemed almost as if it had grown from the ground. This wasn't too unusual, but it drew the orange unicorn's attention somehow.

On top of the table, though, was something she wasn't expecting. A round, chocolate-icing cake sat on the surface, not yet out of it's packaging. In red frosting, cursive writing spelled out, "Welcome Home," in addition to many other swirly and fun decorations. Sunset was fairly surprised at the effort her friends had put into her return. It wasn't exactly a big deal, but it made her overjoyed all the same.

"You guys really didn't have to do all of this for me," Sunset said modestly, raising her eyes to look at the girls in turn.

"Nonsense, Sugarcube," Applejack replied dismissively. "We just want ya'll to feel comfortable back here in Ponyville."

"That's right, darling. Well, that and the fact that Pinkie Pie

on baking a cake for your arrival." Rarity was almost glaring at Pinkie. Pinkie obviously didn't notice this.

"Guess what flavor it is!" Her face was scrunched up in a way that hinted that she was just barely holding back her excitement.

"Um...chocolate?" Sunset guessed.

"Nope. Try it!"

She used her magic to open the plastic dome over the cake, grab an already-cut slice, and place it on a plate sitting next to the cake. She then used a fork to try a bite, which turned out to be surprisingly crunchy.

"It's ROCK CANDY FLAVORED! Only the best for my besties!" She winked.

The taste was actually astonishingly good. The rock candy bits gave it a nice texture combined with the chocolate frosting.

"The point is, we're glad to have you here and you can stay as long as you like," Twilight added.

"Thank you, girls. I mean it. And I'm...sorry about my first impressions. I hope I can make it up to you here like I did in the other world," Sunset explained.

the voice inside her head whispered, but she pushed it to the back of her mind, hiding her thoughts behind the semi-fake smile plastered on her face. This was a chance to start over, and she would take it.

She'd never truly thought about moving back to Equestria permanently. It never really seemed like an option until now, and the more she thought about it, the more she was convinced to stay. Canterlot High would be fine without her. She didn't matter to the students there anymore, as they had proved time and time again. But there was one negative to that decision.

Facing whatever punishment Princess Celestia had waiting for her.

Just thinking about her former mentor made her nervous again. She'd have to talk to her at some point, but Sunset was glad that time wasn't now. Instead, she enjoyed her "Homecoming Party" for the moment and hoped that things would turn out alright.


	3. Party?

Fluttershy opened her eyes slowly in response to the blaring alarm clock on her bedside table. It was five thirty, the usual time she woke up on school days. But she didn't have school today, and the repetitive beep only annoyed her. Apparently, she'd forgotten to turn it off on Friday.

Nonetheless, she clicked the 'off' button and got up, stretching her arms high above her head. Friday had not been a good day for her or any of her friends, she guessed. She wondered what Sunset was doing right now.

Probably sharing more secrets with the world.

The thought left an awful taste in her mouth. Almost as awful as 'Anon-a-miss's' posts. She didn't like to see anyone upset, as was widely known throughout Canterlot High, which was why she never got involved with high school drama. But how can you not get involved with something that's screaming in front of your face? Something that makes your heart ache every time you think about it?

Fluttershy smoothed out the red- and green-striped polyester dress that draped at the waist and halted just over her knees. A warm, fuzzy shawl wrapped around her shoulders to complete the look. It was different than what she had grown accustomed to wearing, but today was Christmas Eve. And the Christmas/sleepover party at Applejack's.

Sunset had picked out this dress with her a few weeks ago, when the both of them had gone shopping for new winter clothes. Rarity, of course, had practically a whole fashion show packed in the back of her boutique where she kept unfinished outfits that were just missing that je ne sais quoi. Somehow, though, one of them seemed perfect just as it was. Sunset thought so, too.

It didn't make sense how the same girl would probably come up with some nasty insult to go with it. Maybe not to her face, but definitely online. And somehow, that hurt a lot more.

The buttercream-skinned girl heaved a sigh. If she couldn't trust Sunset Shimmer, then who could she trust? Even though she'd barely known her for a year, the two of them had created a strong bond. Sunset's innocence seemed so real. She didn't want to believe her friends, to believe Sunet was the bully they thought she was, but the facts were all there. The truth seemed inevitable.

Taking one last glance at her full-length mirror, Fluttershy headed out the door and into the outside world. She needed some fresh air before seeing her friends tonight. A blast of cold air that made her skin prickle rushed in with the door. Looking around, she saw a world blanketed in white. The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon, letting the first few rays of daylight shine upon the small city. When she took her first step, she could hear her boots crunch and sink into the freshly-fallen snow. She could smell the pure scent of winter wafting in the breeze.

Letting herself relax was easy to do when nature simply soothed all her troubles away. She could stay in that one spot forever and let the tragedies happen all around her without a care.

But she knew better than to stand there for too long, and eventually started moving again.

From the trees, she could hear birds who had not yet flown south begin to chirp and sing and squirrels begin to stir, leaving a small smile on her face. It was a beautiful morning, she had to admit. She couldn't take her eyes off of the glittering snow that littered the grass and rooftops.

A few minutes later, she looked up to see Canterlot High School. It glowed magnificently in the early morning light, yet the emptiness surrounding gave it a lonely feel. Fluttershy's eyes drifted to the statue standing in the front lawn. It was, as expected, covered in snow, but at its base, she glanced a ruffle in the snow. What looked like the corner of a small box poked through.

Curious, the girl wandered over to the object and knelt down to brush the powdery substance off of it. What she found made both of her hands move to her mouth to cover her surprised expression. The fiery sun on the cover of Sunset Shimmer's book stared up at her, unaffected by the moist snow around it.

Fluttershy looked left and right, as if expecting her to show up and claim it, but she saw no one.

An odd expression etched on her features, she stood up and found herself face to face with the smooth surface of the portal to Equestria, and realization struck her like a wave. Of course

Sunset had gone back. After everything that happened yesterday, though, she couldn't be blamed. Fluttershy felt the warm rush of tears struggling to burst out, but she held them in. She had been a part of the reason why Sunset had left, and that felt terrible.

She tucked the book under her arm and regained her composure, walking back in the direction of her house. Going to the party tonight felt kind of wrong, but she dismissed the thought. It was going to be fun; she was sure.

* * *

"Fluttershy, I can't tell you how _stunning_ you look in that dress!" Rarity marvelled, eyes tracing Fluttershy's form.

The latter blushed. "Thanks, Rarity."

"Now, we've got to get a move on! We don't want to be late!" She grabbed her friend's hand and rushed over to the limousine that she had ordered just for the occasion. Rarity scooted into the middle seat to make room for Fluttershy. On her other side was Sweetie Belle, who looked surprisingly calm given that she had been blamed for being 'Anon-a-miss' just yesterday.

"Oh...my," Fluttershy thought aloud. "Was this really nessecary? I mean, Applejack's is only a few blocks away, and-"

"Darling, NOTHING is too fabulous for a Christmas party!"

There was silence. Fluttershy squirmed in her seat nervously, then suddenly blurted, "Do you feel bad about yesterday?"

"What?"

"The things we said to Sunset..."

"If there's anyone who should feel bad, it's her. She needs to learn that it's not only physical pain that can hurt someone." Rarity crossed her arms, face darkening.

"But don't you wonder how she must feel? Especially if she was telling the truth. What if she really isn't 'Anon-a-miss'?"

Her expression softened, almost looking ashamed. "I'd...rather not think about it."

Tires squealed to a stop on the icy road. Seeing the warm lights cascading out of the small barn told them that they had reached their destination, and the three of them stumbled out of the limo.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it, Fluttershy. Maybe these awful posts will cease once Sunset realizes her mistakes. Maybe they won't. But I'm sure that everything will work itself out. You'll see." And with that, Rarity stepped onto the front porch, Fluttershy following. Sweetie Belle lagged behind them, keeping her eyes trained on her boots. Fluttershy couldn't help but throw a suspicious glance her way. A moment of thought made her realize that even though Sunset had gone back to Equestria, 'Anon-a-miss' was still posting on her page. Could the crusaders really be the culprit all along? Or was it possible that Sunset had never left?

The sound of a door creaking open snapped her attention back to the spot in front of her. Applejack was in the doorway, dressed in an outfit that was a mix between casual and fashion-forward. She was obviously trying to make an effort to look nice.

"I was wondering when you three would show up! Come on in!" Applejack welcomed, stepping out of the way to let them in. The room was decorated in many different colors and hues. A Christmas tree stood tall in the corner, sparking with ornaments and pictures holding everlasting memories. A box filled with the fragile items took up a spot next to it, Pinkie Pie zooming between the two to decorate the already-crowded tree.

Everyone else had already arrived; Rainbow Dash sipped a hot chocolate at the counter and Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were chatting on the sofa. Sweetie Belle, seeing her friends, went to join them.

"Hey, guys!" Rainbow Dash called, waving Rarity and Fluttershy over. With a laugh, she added,

"Where were you?"

"No one said being fashionably late was a crime, now did they?" Rarity huffed, studying her nails in front of her face. This only made Rainbow laugh harder.

"Here, I'll get ya'll a cup of hot chocolate," Applejack suggested, trying to break the tension. Fluttershy nodded meekly and Rarity agreed with a sigh.

"I baked COOKIES!"

"GAH!" Rainbow's cup splashed onto her outfit in response to Pinkie's sudden appearance.

"Pinkie!"

"Sorry," the pink girl shrugged with a nervous giggle.

Fluttershy noticed out of the corner of her eye that the three younger girls were no longer on the sofa. Confused, she stepped away from the feuding group to find them.

There weren't many places to look until Fluttershy saw the retractable stairs that led to the attic. She looked up into the hole in the ceiling, expecting to see darkness. But instead, she saw the faint glow of a flashlight and heard the soft murmur of voices.

With a gulp, Fluttershy took the stairs one step at a time, whispering words of encouragement to herself. At the top, she peeked in. First, she spotted Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom. Then, she saw the computer in front of them.

Finally, she saw 'Anon-a-miss's' profile picture.


	4. Reunion

Sunset Shimmer sighed, lifting her face out of the pearl-white pillow on her bed. Skinny bands of light stretched into the room, which Twilight had so graciously let her stay in, through a tall window to her left, just barely illuminating her face with the early-morning sun. The rest of Ponyville's population had yet to awaken, leaving her alone with her thoughts in the still castle.

The pounding of Sunset's rapidly-beating heart was so loud that she could almost hear its constant rhythm in the eerie silence. Or maybe her imagination was acting up. Her exhaustion made it hard to tell. She'd spent most of the night jolting awake from painful nightmares, many of which she'd seen before. Like a broken record, they played over and over again in her mind, receiving the feeling of anger, fear, loneliness, and dread every time she closed her eyes.

She wasn't ready to see her mentor again, that was one thing she knew for sure. Even thinking about the princess of the sun brought about old memories, some warm and some bittersweet. What they all shared in common, though, was that they all lead to the same outcome.

Maybe Princess Celestia didn't even care to see her after everything she'd done. Maybe she was just a huge mistake in her eyes, doomed to live with the guilt for the rest of her life. She never should have left in the first place. She wished everything she'd caused was over and in the past, but that wasn't true. It still haunted her, and she knew without a doubt that the friends she'd left behind at Canterlot High still saw her the way she used to be.

Sunset's eyes burned as they began to brim with tears, but she blinked them away. Her face had grown warm even in the chilled room, and she took in a few deep breaths before slinking out of the bed and through the bedroom door. She needed a glass of water. It always cheered her up in world, why shouldn't it here?

Hoofsteps reverberated off the shining castle walls, which were seemingly misplaced in the lonely, empty hallway. It was funny, Sunset thought, how only a few moons away could make a place feel so surreal. After spending so much time on the other side of the portal, she'd forgotten many of the advantages of life in Equestria. She'd also forgotten the disadvantages.

Where was the kitchen in this place, anyway? It was like going through a huge maze filled with twists and turns and dozens of rooms Sunset was sure didn't have any significance being there.

She nudged open what seemed like the thousandth door and was relieved to see she had reached her destination. "Twilight would really benefit from labeling her rooms," she muttered to herself, walking into the lit space.

"Sunset?"

"Twilight?" Sunset Shimmer turned her head to see the lavender alicorn behind a kitchen counter. "What are you doing in here?"

"Making breakfast," Twilight replied, using her magic to levitate the pan into the air and flip the pancake inside it. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep," Sunset said through a sigh. She slumped into one of the ten chairs around an oval-shaped table and face-planted into the latter. "I am _exhausted._ "

"What's keeping you up?"

"It's...nothing. Just some insomnia, that's all."

"Sunset, I know you're worried, but you don't have to be." Twilight was suddenly behind Sunset, a wing draped around her shoulders in an attempt to reassure her friend. "Trust me, Princess Celestia is one of the most understanding ponies I know. She'll forgive you, and I'm sure she misses you just as much as you miss her."

Sunset opened her mouth to object, but closed it soon after. Twilight had a point. Conflict would usually be the _last_ thing the princess would resort to. But unlike her, Twilight had never seen her upset-truly upset. _She_ had never been thrown out of Celestia's school. _She_ didn't know how it felt to have worked for something her whole life, just to have it all washed away.

"Sunset? Are you alright?" Sunset's blood was boiling again, this time with an unexpected anger.

"I'm fine," she said, rougher than she meant it to be. "Look, Twilight, I know you think everything will be OK, but you just...don't understand! This whole thing has been stressing me out since I got here, and I just wish everything was back to the way it was. Before the whole 'Anon-a-miss' incident, before I stole the crown, before I even _found out_ about that mirror. Because right now, it feels like everyone hates me all over again." Tears streamed down Sunset's cheeks, and she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Not that I can blame them..."

Seconds of silence ticked by, feeling so long that they might as well be minutes. After a while, she took a deep breath to pull herself back together. "I'm sorry."

"I-" Twilight began, but was cut off when the door swung open and five ponies piled in.

"Hiya, Sunny-Sun!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, bouncing over to the table. "Ohhh! Twily made pancakes!"

"Are you alright, dear? It looks like you've been crying," Rarity asked Sunset with concern.

"Yeah," Sunset replied, wiping at her eyes. "Don't worry about it."

Twilight shot her a quick glance, and Sunset returned it with a small grin. She still wasn't completely confident, but letting out all of her thoughts certainly made her feel better. Whatever the day had in store, she was ready. She'd take what she deserved, then...figure it out from there. Not the best plan in the world, but it worked. For now, though, she wanted to try to have a good time with her friends. It was Hearth's Warming Eve, after all.

* * *

Sunset didn't know what to think. She was on her way to Canterlot Castle, the one place she never expected to see again. Both giddy and petrified, she glanced out the frosted train window.

A thick layer of snow covered everything they passed, every rooftop and every hill. Despite the frozen winter air, joy was abuzz throughout Equestria. Ponies wandered the streets decorated in lights, wreaths, and candy canes, preparing for the quickly-approaching holiday. Sunset couldn't help but wish she was out there with them, joining in on the cheerful festivities. It'd been a while since she'd celebrated Hearth's Warming, she realized.

Her attention was brought back as soon as they'd entered Canterlot. Sure enough, the castle glittered in the sunlight, standing magnificently in the middle of the city. Sunset tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but it was apparently there to stay. She was so close to the one place she'd ever felt truly at home.

Twilight sat quietly beside her, a book open and floating before her. Sunset was almost grateful that she wasn't paying attention to her. She still felt bad about exploding the way she did, no matter how many times Twilight said she didn't mind.

The train pulled to a stop as the station came into view, and Twilight finally shut her book. They both made their way to the front of the train, stepping onto the platform.

Twilight took a deep breath of the pure air. "Canterlot is so _beautiful_ this time of year! Wouldn't you agree, Sunset?"

"Yeah, I guess I never realized until now," answered Sunset, watching a couple of fillies building a snowpony.

"We might have some time to decorate the castle when we get back," Twilight continued. "If you want to, that is."

"Sure." Her gaze shifted to the floor. They walked for what seemed like forever before stopping at the tall double-doors.

"Ready?" Twilight asked.

"Probably not," Sunset tried to joke, but it came out more of a squeak.

"Don't worry; I'll be right behind you the whole way." The two exchanged a smile and Twilight pushed the doors open.

"Twi, I really can't thank you enough," commented Sunset as they made their way down the warm, clean hallway. "You've helped me so much ever since the Fall Formal. I really appreciate it."

"It's what friends do," Twilight replied simply.

Sunset glanced out a colored window to her left as they walked. Looking down on Canterlot, she vaguely remembered it as her 'favorite window' from when she first became Celestia's student. It was almost right in the middle of the castle, meaning it had a perfect view of the whole city.

Other objects triggered her memories, as well. Like the vase she'd tried to repair with glue after accidentally knocking it to the ground. Or the burnt spot on the ceiling from a spell-gone-wrong.

Or the door leading to Princess Celestia's throne room.

Twilight reached out to open it, but Sunset interjected. "I-I'd rather go alone."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

Twilight nodded and took a step back. After taking a deep breath, Sunset was ready. She creaked open the door and walked in, listening to it shut behind her.

And there was Princess Celestia, just as regal as ever. She was conversing with one of her royal guards, but as soon as she saw her former student, she dismissed him with a single gesture. Saluting, he left the room to return to his post.

"Sunset Shimmer. I've been expecting you." The princess's soft voice stung Sunset ever so slightly, as she hadn't heard it in so long.

She had stopped a few feet from Celestia's throne, unsure on what to say. No, it wasn't that. There were about a _million_ things she wanted to say, but none of them wanted to pass her lips.

Princess Celestia was quite obviously waiting for her to speak, but words still failed the frightened unicorn. The pressure weighing her down gave her a choking sensation, and she could feel her eyes well up with tears for the third time that day. By now, though, she was tired of trying to hold them in. "I'm so sorry," she finally managed to say, lowering her head. "I never meant to do the things I did. I messed up and I failed you. I-I just wish I could fix everything. I know you'll never be able to forgive me, but-"

She felt a wing wrap around her and pull her closer in a warm embrace. "Sunset, I never blamed you for your actions. I've been so worried about you ever since I found out you'd gone through the portal. I'm so glad you're safe," Celestia told her.

"B-but everything I did..."

"That doesn't matter. You were able to right your wrongs in the end, and that's what counts. You're an exceptional student, and there's nothing that will ever make me think otherwise."

The reaction Sunset had gotten was not one she'd expected. After every mistake she'd made, someone still cared about her. All of her worries and doubts were washed from her mind, and she finally gave in to Celestia's kindness and hugged her back. "Thank you," she whispered, and for the first time in years, she was at home again.


	5. Oops

"It's not what you think, Fluttershy," Sweetie Belle defended.

"Please don't tell the others!" pleaded Apple Bloom, clasping her hands together hopefully.

"This is all your fault, Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo added to the argument, staring knives into her friend. "I told you it was a bad idea!"

"My fault? We were all in this together!"

"It's a Christmas party! You should've known we were gonna get caught!"

Fluttershy stood amidst their angry shouts, watching the scene unfold in a state of shock. Of anyone she'd expect to be 'Anon-a-miss', these girls were not one of them. Or at least, not at first.

It all made sense now. The posts, the pictures, everything. They were the only other people capable of getting the sleepover pictures and Applejack's story. How had it slipped her mind for so long?

Fluttershy stepped into the attic, grabbed the laptop from in between the girls, and scanned the screen, intent on getting answers. Her eyes flickered wide as she read their most recent post, written no more than two minutes ago.

 _Christmas party? Ha! These losers can't get along for even ten seconds!_

Attached was a photo of her four friends arguing in the kitchen. She squinted at it, still unable to believe what was going on. The whole time, she'd known Sunset would never be responsible for such a thing, and she'd been right.

"We never meant for it to go this far! Honest!"

Fluttershy's head snapped in their direction. "Do you girls know how much trouble you've caused? It's affecting more than just us; you've turned the whole school upside-down!"

"Fluttershy, we really are-"

"It'll take _a lot_ more than an apology for you to fix this one." Fluttershy's disapproving glance cast darkly upon them, the anger that she felt bubbling inside her leaking into her words. The girls gulped as they nervously stepped away, off-put by Fluttershy's change in attitude and certain that they'd never hear the end of it.

"There you girls are. I've been lookin' all over for ya!" Applejack was standing on the top stair, a somewhat relieved look on her face that soon disappeared when she processed the situation. "What's goin' on here?"

Fluttershy didn't speak. Instead, she handed the laptop to Applejack, crossing her arms expectantly as she read through.

"Fluttershy, I know 'Anon-a-miss's' posts probably upset ya," Applejack said when she had finished, "but there's really nothin' we can do about it. For some reason, Sunset-"

"It's not Sunset."

"What?"

"Sunset's not 'Anon-a-miss'. Your sister and her friends have been framing her this whole time," Fluttershy explained.

"But...how could they? Sunset was the one who took all those pictures; my sis n' her friends weren't even there." _Good point,_ Fluttershy thought as she turned back to them, raising an eyebrow.

Apple Bloom sighed. "Alright, alright. We did it, ok? We'll admit it. It's just...whenever you called on that first night, Applejack, it made me frustrated that...that you were spending more time with Sunset than with your family, 'specially 'cause of what she'd done In the past. So I created 'Anon-a-miss's' profile, hoping you'd kick 'er outta the group or somethin'. I had no idea all of _this_ would come from it."

"...Scootaloo and I felt the same way," Sweetie Belle began. "When you all slept over at Rarity's, I stole Sunset's phone and downloaded her pictures and videos. Before we knew it, though, word had spread to the whole school. People started sending us other things to post, and it spiraled out of control from there."

"If ya'll were jealous, why didn't ya just come talk to us? It's a heck of a lot better than lyin'!" The three hung their heads in shame, unsure how to reply and worried that anything they had to say would only get them in _more_ trouble.

Fluttershy carefully laid a hand on Applejack's shoulder, whose face softened as she sighed and said, "Look, girls. I know ya'll just wanted some attention, but what ya did ain't right, an' I'm sure Principal Celestia won't be too happy when she finds out." Their eyes widened nervously. "Now I want ya'll to get downstairs and tell everyone else the truth, ya hear?" Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle nodded as they shuffled out of the attic. Their older sisters were waiting for them in the kitchen.

"Alright, somebody tell me what's going on here," Rarity demanded, crossing her arms. She wore a rather agitated expression on her face and tapped her foot expectantly. Though the question was directed at all of them, her gaze was on Sweetie Belle.

After the story had been explained a second time, it was visible that everyone in the room felt remorseful and just as surprised as Fluttershy had been. "How long were you going to keep this from us?" Rarity asked, causing the girls to fidget anxiously. They had obviously never planned on them finding out at all.

Rainbow Dash was scowling. "I can't believe you'd do this, Scoots! Not after I'd considered you my honorary sister. I don't think you even _deserve_ that title anymore."

"B-but Dash, I-"

"I don't want to hear it." She turned away from the now-quivering Scootaloo.

There was an obvious tension in the air as a silence settled into the room, but it was soon replaced with sadness. No one spoke—they didn't need to. Each of them were thinking the same thing.

Eventually, Applejack cleared her throat. "It's late; we should get some rest."

The girls, suddenly aware of the exhaustion that the past week's events had brought about, went to the coat rack near the front door to grab sleeping bags, pillows, and anything else they might need for the night. According to Pinkie, it was _imperative_ that they each slept with one of the many stuffed animals that she had brought.

Fluttershy grabbed her backpack from the rack and pulled on the zipper, but it didn't budge. Confused, she tried again, yet it still refused to move. _It must be stuck on something,_ she thought and tried it once more.

The zipper practically flew out of her fingertips as it unzipped itself. An undecipherable pink-and-brown object darted out of the backpack and whizzed past Fluttershy's head, causing her to shriek in surprise. The object wasn't in the air very long, though. After slamming into a wall on the far side of the room, it came to a stop and fell into a large box of apples. Sharing a bewildered look with one another, the girls ran over to the box and peered inside.

The cover of a worn, leather book stared back at them, the decal of a red-and-yellow sun glowing in the light.

"Fluttershy," Rarity said, "why do you have Sunset Shimmer's book?"


	6. A Rather Concerning Consequence

"Oh, well..." Fluttershy began as she reached into the apple box to grab the book. "I found it this morning, just in front of the...portal to Equestria. I was going to tell you guys about it, really, but-!"

"Hold on, it was just sittin' out there in the snow?" Applejack asked, and Fluttershy nodded. "But that must mean..."

" ...Sunset's gone back to Equestria... " Rarity finished solemnly. In the corner of the room, the CMC threw each other wide-eyed glances, and silence seized the room again.

Rainbow Dash was fuming, however, and she turned with a face contorted with rage on the three younger girls huddled together a little ways away. "I hope you're proud of yourselves!" she shouted. "Not only have you spread some of our deepest secrets, but you've also driven Sunset away; but that's what you all wanted this whole time, isn't it?"

"No," Scootaloo cried, "we just wanted to spend more time with you guys! We didn't mean-"

"I don't _care_! Sunset's been through so much, and she didn't need this to make her feel even worse than she already did. The reason we spent so much time with her was because she needed support and because she's our friend. You'd have wanted the same thing if you'd been through what she had!" Rainbow grunted and rubbed her eyes quickly with the back of her fist, the fiery tone in her voice chilling to ice. "I just...I can't believe you, Scootaloo. I really thought you were someone I could trust, you know?"

As she ran a hand slowly through her rainbow hair, Fluttershy rested a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. Scootaloo, feeling a strong tug on her heart, hugged herself tightly and slid down the wall, wishing she could disappear as she closed her moistening eyes. Unsure of what to do, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom let their eyes slip to the ground guiltily.

"I-I'm sure it can't be all bad," chimed Pinkie Pie, sounding unusually hesitant. "Sunset is probably enjoying herself. Equestria is her home, after all, so surely she's been missing it."

With a gentle smile, Rarity added, "Hm, Pinkie's right."

Applejack had begun flipping through the worn journal, which Fluttershy had handed her, with a thoughtful frown on her face. "Looks like we were right about 'er leaving. But s'anyone else wondering why is was glowing earlier? There aren't any new messages from Twilight in here."

"The book doesn't usually fly around the room like that, either! Or maybe it does, and Sunset just doesn't tell us about it. Either way, that is strange, AJ," Pinkie pointed out, complete with wild hand gestures.

"Can I see it?" Rainbow Dash reached out a hand in the farm-girl's direction. She seemed to have calmed down greatly, but the skin around her eyes had become just a bit red. Applejack began to hand Sunset's book to her friend, though before it could touch Rainbow's fingertips, the pinkish aura reappeared around it, and it was yanked from her grasp. A fairly thin vine, about the width of a finger, pushed up through a small crack in the floorboards and swiftly wrapped itself around Rainbow's wrist, causing her to cry out in panic.

"What the hay?" exclaimed Applejack, mouth agape. She tugged on the vine, as did Rainbow, and the two finally yanked it loose; they watched it slither back through the hole in which it came.

Although that wasn't the last of it. More and more of them emerged from the ground and from the walls, as well, varying in thickness and shade. Fear rippled throughout the room as wood splinters flew and plant life took over each corner of the small barn, grappling for the limbs of its inhabitants.

"Oh, so the book hates me, apparently!" Rainbow Dash shouted over the chaos.

"Shut yer trap and come help me!" Applejack yelled, using a metal shovel that had been leaning against the wall beside the front door to slice through a vine. Rainbow scrambled over, dodging one vine darting overhead and jumping over another slithering below, and pulled a metal rake from a rack that was also beside the door. She twirled it skillfully a few times before bringing it down on a leafy plant attempting to wrap itself around her ankle.

At the other end of the room, Pinkie Pie had caught the swift, glowing journal and held it firmly in her crossed arms. "Boy, you sure are a fast one. I bet you're almost as fast as my sister's pet, Boulder! Too bad they aren't here right now. Hiiiiii-ya!"

Pinkie stomped her foot hard onto a small group of vines that were twisting together below her, severing each one in two.

"Nice job, Pinkie!" Fluttershy cheered softly from a space untouched by the menacing plants, although there was one slowly slinking in from behind the pink-haired girl.

"Fluttershy, watch out!" She jumped out of the way as the vine lunged forward, missing her, but the distraction was just enough for a slim green tentacle to snap around Pinkie's arm and pull. Sunset Shimmer's journal slipped from her weakened hold and took off yet again. "Oh no, the book-!"

Rarity crouched down with a scream and covered her head as the book whizzed by just above her. Her hair was matted, and her tight curls hung loose; she seemed very upset about this. Applejack! What kind of plants are you _growing_ in that so called garden of yours?"

"This ain't _my_ doin', Rarity, so you can keep the complaints to yerself!"

"Then where are these abominations coming from?!"

"Um, I-I think the book may-" Fluttershy mumbled, but she was cut off by a shout.

"Applejack! Rarity!"

Applejack's head swiveled in the direction of the source; everyone in their panic had forgotten about the CMC. "Apple Bloom!" She rushed over to where the three girls struggled against the tight grip of a cluster of thick vines, Rarity following some distance behind. They pulled at the binds, Rarity doing so rather reluctantly, but all they got for their efforts were some calloused hands. "Ugh. These ones are mighty tight."

"No kidding." Rarity grunted. "It's as if these things were after our sisters."

Rainbow flung her arms into the air. "Did everyone just forget about the book?!"

"Well, that ain't exactly the priority right now, Rainbow! Why don't y'all come n' give us a hand?" Although it was with no success, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie had begun yanking at the vines, as well. They only seemed to be getting tighter.

Rainbow Dash groaned and said, "That isn't going to work, though! I'm gonna catch the book so we can send a message to Twilight for help." And with that, she hopped onto the counter, knocking off in the process a mug of hot chocolate, which fell upon the wood floor to shatter, sending the shards sprawling across the now-hot-chocolate-stained boards. Rainbow cringed nervously for a moment before she spun around to follow the zig-zagging book with her eyes, scowling. She crouched down, getting ready to jump at the perfect moment, looking much like a predator preparing to pounce on its prey. As the book flew in her direction, she leaped from the counter top with a yell, arms outstretched, and grabbed the book with a strong grip. The book, unfortunately, was resilient and, apparently, strong enough to carry Rainbow's weight.

"Woah, hey, wait a second-!" Rainbow panicked, gazing at the floor beneath her dangling legs.

"Rainbow Dash," Rarity exclaimed, "what on earth are you doing?!"

Pinkie Pie squealed. "She's flying!"

"Get me down from here!" Rainbow kicked her legs frantically, flinching back whenever she came close to a collision with the wall, but it was luckily avoided each time.

"Just let go of the book," Rarity said.

"Are you kidding? I'll fall, and I won't be able to catch the book a second time!" And so she kept her hold, getting dragged along as the book continued its chaotic flying pattern.

Sweetie Belle, still trapped, stirred. "I'm feeling kinda lightheaded."

"Yeah, these things are digging into my skin," Scootaloo complained, gritting her teeth.

"Could ya'll...hurry it up just a tad?" wheezed Apple Bloom.

"Rainbow was right, urrgh...this is no use," breathed Applejack. "Fluttershy, could you go grab me my-"

"AHHHHHHHHH!"

Rainbow Dash and the book dove straight into the seven girls, knocking them over like bowling pins. The pink aura around Sunset's journal faded, and the dozens of vines spread about the barn poofed into clouds of sparkling dust. The CMC were freed and were hit by an instant wave of relief, leaning against the wall to catch their breath.

Though the problem was gone, that unfortunately didn't mean the damage had not been done. Scattered with rubble and chunks of wood, Applejack's barn was nearly in pieces. Holes littered the walls and the floor, furniture and farming tools were strewn about the room, and there was the mug Rainbow had shattered, laying ruined and helpless among the spilled cold-chocolate on the floorboards beside the counter.

To put it bluntly, it was a disappointment, and no one in the room had expected their 'Christmas party' to have gone so wrong.

Applejack, bruised and scratched, reached out for her younger sister and held her tightly in her arms. "Apple Bloom! Gosh, are you alright? I'm so sorry; I have no idea what happened."

"Yeah, Sis, I'm fine," Apple Bloom whined, embarrassed. "It's not helpin' much that yer huggin' me tighter than those vines were."

"Heh heh, sorry," chuckled Applejack, letting her go. A few feet away, Rarity was also wordlessly hugging Sweetie Belle, which Sweetie Belle was wordlessly accepting and hugged her back.

Scootaloo sat up on her own and rubbed her sore arms, imprinted with ridges where the vines had wrapped around her. She looked to her left and right at her two friends with their sisters and felt the warm rush of tears welling up in her eyes, though they were easily blinked away. It'd be stupid to cry over something like that, she thought. But she still glanced over to Rainbow Dash, who was sitting up slowly with a hand on her head.

"R-Rainbow Dash! Are you o-"

" _ **Fine.**_ " Rainbow's harsh tone made Scootaloo shrink back, hurt. She rubbed at her eyes.

As Rainbow Dash brushed herself off and the others recovered from the whole ideal, Applejack stood, grabbing her hat, now torn slightly, from the ground. She looked around at the destruction, a stunned and horrified look on her face. Her voice was quiet.

"What am I gonna tell Granny Smith?" Apple Bloom grasped her hand, and Rarity came over to rest a hand on her shoulder. Pinkie Pie gave her a small hug from behind.

"Well, at least I've got the book now!" Rainbow held the book up triumphantly.

Applejack sighed. "That won't fix all of this."

"I guess not, but we need to let Twilight know that some more weird magic stuff is going on, or else this might happen again. Does anyone have a pen?"

Rainbow flipped to the next empty page in the journal and set it on the counter, taking the pen from Fluttershy.

"But if Sunset's upset with us, Twilight must be, too," Pinkie pointed out. "What if she doesn't want to help us?"

"Let's just hope she does," Rainbow said as she put the pen down and began the message to Equestria.


	7. An Eventful Hearth's Warming Eve

_A/N: Heyyy, I finally have an update for this story! I'm going to try to update this again next Thursday and start a Thursday update schedule or something. I'm not making any promises, though, because I'm kind of irresponsible when it comes to deadlines._

 _Also, the messages between Equestria and the human world via the book might get confusing because I can't use colored text here... The italicized text means it's being written in the book from the human world, and the bold italicized text means it's being written in the book from Twilight and Sunset in Equestria. The underlined text is when the person writing changes (from Rainbow Dash to Applejack, for example). Sorry about that. If you want a clearer version with colored text, you can also read this on my account. (Same title, and I have the same username, Shimmer Shy.)_

* * *

As Sunset embraced her former mentor, she felt nostalgia for the way Celestia had comforted her in the past creep into her heart, and she found that she didn't want to let go. She felt the wetness in her eyes slide down her cheeks but didn't care to stop it; after everything she'd been through with 'Anon-a-miss' and all the stress she'd been under recently, she was just so glad to be there and to be forgiven. Just like old times.

Eventually, Princess Celestia took a step back, and Sunset reluctantly did the same. The princess gazed down at her with a loving and gentle expression on her face.

"Twilight's told me much about the progress you've been making in the human world," she said, "and about how your friends there have been teaching you what I could not."

Sunset averted her gaze upon hearing the statement, thinking about her 'friends' in the other world and the accusatory expression that had been on their faces as she'd left the café.

"However, she's also informed me about the troubles that you've been having as of recent," Celestia continued, "and I understand your reason for coming back. Hopefully some time away will help you, and perhaps everything will be sorted out in the human world by the time you're ready to return."

"I hope so, too." Sunset sighed. "Twilight and her friends have been so welcoming since I got here, and it's the most at-home that I've felt in, well, a while. I honestly don't know what I'd do without them." _No doubt it would be a lot worse than what 'Anon-a-miss' is doing, though,_ she thought.

"They are something special, indeed, and I have no doubt that some time with them will help you feel better in no time." Celestia grinned, lifting Sunset's chin with her hoof so that their eyes met. "I'm glad to have you back, Sunset; no matter what mistakes you make, you will always be my student, and they will always be forgiven. I hope you understand that."

Sunset's eyes almost welled with tears again as a relieved smile made its way onto her face. "I...thank you."

At that moment, the two of them heard the creak of the large door behind Sunset opening slightly. They turned their heads just in time to see Twilight fall sideways to the floor with a short squeal. Anxiously, she jumped to her hooves with wide eyes and a sheepish smile.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt!"

"Were you listening in on us...?" Sunset asked.

Twilight shook her head quickly. "No, no, no, of course not!" She hesitated with a glance to the side. "Uhhh, maybe."

"It's quite alright, Twilight. We were just about finished," Celestia reassured her. "I'm assuming that you'd like to catch the train back to Ponyville with Twilight now; it's Hearth's Warming Eve, after all." Her gaze was once again on Sunset.

"Um, actually, I'd like to spend some more time with you. If you don't mind, of course! It's just that I haven't seen you in so long, and..."

"I suppose I could spare some time in my oh-so-busy schedule for my former prized pupil," Princess Celestia joked. "A lot _has changed_ since you were last here if you're interested in a tour of the castle."

A wide smile split across Sunset's face, and she nodded eagerly. Judging from the messages Twilight had sent her on occasion via the magical books, a lot of interesting things had happened since she was in the other world, and she was curious to hear about them and to see how much her old home had changed. She turned to Twilight and asked, "Is that okay with you, Twilight? I know you wanted to do some decorating once we got back, but..."

"Oh no, that's totally fine!" Twilight waved her hoof dismissively. "Don't worry about the decorating or anything; it was just an idea, and we can get to it later. I know how important this is to you."

Sunset blushed lightly, a tad embarrassed. "Thanks, Twi."

"I guess I'll see you back at the castle, then," Twilight said, and Sunset nodded in return. The purple alicorn glanced up at Princess Celestia with a grin before enveloping herself in a pink aura and teleporting out of the room.

With Twilight gone, it was once again just Princess Celestia and Sunset alone in the room. The taller of the two rested a hoof on the shorter's shoulder, causing her to jump a little in surprise. "Is there anywhere you'd like to start in particular, Sunset Shimmer?"

"I don't really mind, I guess," she replied, turning back to the princess while thinking back to her time in Canterlot Castle as Princess Celestia's personal student. It felt like it had been an eternity since she'd last been there - it _had_ been quite a while ago, now that Sunset thought about it, ignoring a pang of guilt that accompanied the thought - but not nearly long enough to make her forget about all of the memories she'd made here. Practicing her magic sometimes in the garden and sometimes in the throne room with her mentor, studying late into the night in the castle library, occasionally pranking party guests when balls were held in the castle's ballroom...of course, not all of them were fond memories, though. She remembered poring over the books in the library's 'Dark Magic' section, searching for answers to her questions about the Crystal Mirror; that had been one of the last places she'd been before leaving Equestria...

Sunset shook the memory from her mind and perked up as Celestia said, "How about your old room?"

"Yeah, sure!"

Princess Celestia smiled and strode gracefully to the doors, opening them with her magic as Sunset trotted up to walk beside her.

"I have to be honest with you," Celestia began as the two of them walked down the hall. "Since I was unsure when, or even if, you were ever coming back, I cleared out your room after you left. I hope you don't mind. Most of your stuff is in storage, though, so there wouldn't be a problem if you needed anything back."

Sunset attempted to shrug but realized that it was quite difficult to do as a pony, especially while walking, so the gesture became a little more awkward than she'd meant for it to be. "Eh, it's alright. Most of it wasn't important anyway." Although _some of it_ had been; she'd ask about getting it back later.

"In your absence, I had also allowed Twilight to stay in your room, back when she was my student." Celestia paused. "You both have a lot in common, you know. Both of you were always so eager to learn more and so determined to do well. She spent so much of her time studying in the library, just like you had. However, although you both were excellent with your magic and exceptional students, you also let your studies take priority over friendship and had trouble getting along with others. And that's where the differences begin, I suppose..."

Sunset looked to the side, flinching a bit at the route their conversation had taken, and said, "...Because I was selfish and too ambitious for my own good."

The statement warranted a sigh from the princess. "That may have been true, but you mustn't blame everything on yourself," Celestia replied, turning to her student with a look of concern. "I should have encouraged you to interact with your peers more. I should have known that your life was going down a dangerous path and helped you to see that there's more to life than knowledge and power. If anyone was at fault for your mistakes, it would have been me for not being as good of a teacher to you as I should have been."

There was a pause as Sunset considered what Princess Celestia had said, the only noise coming from the pair's hooves against the floors of the castle's halls. Multicolored light streamed in through stained glass windows that lined the halls; it was a remarkably peaceful morning, and Sunset wouldn't have wanted to spend it anywhere else. Hearing Celestia's words almost felt like a weight, one that she hadn't even noticed was there, being lifted from her shoulders. She hadn't known just how much she'd needed to hear that and although it was a bit selfish, the fact that she didn't have to carry the blame alone felt so much better. A small smile made its way onto her face as she raised her head a little.

"...Thanks." She sighed. "I know that I've said it already, but I really am sorry for all of the things I did and all of the trouble I caused you. It was horrible of me to just...leave like that and try to take control of a world that I knew nothing about."

"I forgave you for all of that a long time ago, Sunset. All that matters is that you were able to right your wrongs in the end and realize your mistakes. I couldn't be more proud of my prized pupil." Celestia wrapped her wing around Sunset again as they walked.

* * *

The rest of the day went by smoothly for Sunset as Celestia caught her up on what had been happening in the castle and in Equestria while she was gone. Most of it she had heard already from Twilight thanks to the magical books, but she did get to meet Princess Luna in pony for the first time during their tour of the castle. The encounter had been fairly awkward for the both of them, as Sunset was hesitant around the Princess of the Moon at first, but it didn't take too long before they were finally comfortable around each other. Sunset had received a few greetings from ponies who remembered her as Celestia's student during her tour, but she'd also received some angry glances and scowls from ponies who remembered how stuck-up she had been. Although it had bothered her a little bit, she'd ignored them as best as she could.

After the long tour had come to a close, Celestia gave Sunset another hug, and the two said their goodbyes. Sunset took the train back to Ponyville alone, reflecting on the day's events happily as she gazed out the train windows and watched ponies finish up their decorating and celebrating to retreat inside their homes and get ready for bed with the setting sun. It was a relief for Sunset to finally be heading home after such a long day, and she couldn't have been happier to see Twilight's castle coming into view over the horizon. The castle was strung with a multitude of lights, ornaments, and other types of decorations, causing it to glow against the darkening sky. _Twilight must have went ahead and done the decorations,_ Sunset concluded.

Inside, Twilight and her friends were working on decorating the inside of the tree castle just as intensely as the outside, stringing lights in every empty space. The reflective walls and floors glittered. Amazed, Sunset looked around with wide eyes as she walked in.

"Wow, guys. You really went all out," she marveled. Upon hearing her voice, Twilight turned to greet her, and Pinkie Pie sped up to her to give her a tight hug.

"Sunset's back!"

"Heh heh, thanks, Pinkie," Sunset said, awkwardly accepting the embrace.

"How was your day with Princess Celestia?" Fluttershy asked softly.

"Oh, it was great! And it was really nice to be able to talk to her again. I mean, I was worried that she wouldn't even want to see me again after what I did..." The fiery-maned unicorn cleared her throat. "Anyway, it looks like you guys spent a lot of time putting all of these decorations up. They look great."

"It definitely took a lot of time," Twilight giggled, "but it's been fun. There's still some things to do if you'd like to help us finish it up."

Sunset began to nod her head, but Spike, panting, came rushing in just at that moment. "The...book..." he breathed, leaning over to rest his claws on his knees. "The book...is glowing...Twilight"

Twilight raised an eyebrow, and Sunset tilted her head in curiosity before the two of them shared a look. "That's strange...I'm pretty sure that I forgot my book back in the other world. Who would be trying to get a message to you?"

"Someone else must have found it. Did you leave it out in the open?" Twilight replied.

"Oh, shoot. Probably. It was in my bag when I went through the portal, so it had to have fallen out somewhere close to the school."

Twilight turned to her friends and said, "You guys can continue with the decorating; we won't be gone too long."

"Awe, come on, Twi!" complained Rainbow Dash exasperatedly. "We want to hear about whatever's going on in the other world, too!"

"I'm sure it's nothing too exciting, Rainbow. But we'll let you know if it is."

Rainbow's wings drooped, but she muttered a "fineee..."

With one last gentle grin in the pegasus's direction, Twilight left with Sunset and Spike to the room where the mirror portal and the book that kept it open were residing. Sure enough, the book was glowing and vibrating on its stand above the mirror. Twilight levitated it down so that both she and Sunset could see it and flipped through the pages until she came to the one that contained new messages.

 _Twilight! We need help! The book's acting really strange!_

The handwriting was messy and inconsistent, and Sunset immediately recognized it as Rainbow Dash's. A scowl began to darken her face. Twilight turned to her with a frown.

"That's our friends in the other world, isn't it?"

" _Your_ friends," Sunset replied through clenched teeth. "As if the fact that they've accused me of something I didn't do wasn't enough, now they've stolen my book, too. I'd ignore it, Twilight."

"Sunset, if they really are in trouble, we have to help them no matter how they're treating you."

"Well, I don't want any part of it."

Twilight, with a concerned look on her face, used her magic to levitate a quill over to the book and jotted down her reply.

 ** _What's wrong with the book?_**

The next words began to appear on the page almost instantly.

 _We're not really sure, but it started flying around out of nowhere and completely DESTROYED AJ's barn! There were vines everywhere and they were after Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, too! Sorry, Pinkie took the pen._

"Huh, that is kind of odd." Twilight glanced over at Sunset, who glanced quickly away from the book to pretend she wasn't interested. "Did anything like this ever happen with the book for you?"

"No. They could just be tricking you."

"I don't think that's something they'd do..."

 ** _I'm not sure why something like that would happen, and Sunset says that it never happened to her. Did you do anything to it? Where did you find it, anyway?_**

 _Fluttershy said she found it in front of the portal. But we didn Hold on, AJ wants the pen. Did you say Sunset was with you?_

 ** _Yes, why?_**

"Twilight, don't let them know I'm here!" Sunset exclaimed.

"Why not?"

She groaned exasperatedly. "Doesn't matter now." New words appeared on the page.

 _We just need her to know that we're sorry. Turns out she wasn't Anon-a-miss after all - our little sisters were. Sunset, darling, we truly are sorry. It was wrong of us to jump to conclusions the way we did._

"It's a little too late for that," Sunset muttered, expression unchanging.

 ** _You guys really hurt her. She doesn't seem too keen on forgiving you right now._**

There was a pause.

 _We don't expect her to. Just wanted to let her know we feel horrible about how we treated her. So, are you gonna help us with the magic stuff, Twilight? Oh, uh, I'm sorry too, Sunset._

 ** _I guess I could come over there to see what's_**

Sunset grabbed the quill from Twilight with her own magic.

 **Neither of us _are going to help you. Just because something strange happens one time doesn't mean you have to call for Twilight's help just like that. It's probably nothing and if you really are that concerned about it, figure it out yourselves._**

"Sunset, stop!"

Sunset dropped the quill angrily. "You can't expect me to forgive them just because they say they're sorry! They're just trying to convince you to help them!"

"Well, don't take your anger out on them! If you don't want to help, just let me handle it for now, alright?"

Sunset threw an angry glare at the alicorn before turning to leave the room silently. Twilight watched her go before sighing and picking the quill back up off the ground.

 ** _I'm sorry, girls. She just needs some more time to calm down. Let me know if anything else happens, and I'll do my best to help._**

 _It's alright, Twilight. We'll let you know of anything else that happens. Merry Christmas! Or, uh, it would be Happy Hearth's Warming in your world, right?_

 ** _Yeah. Merry Christmas to you all, as well! Good luck with the book._**

With that, Twilight closed the book and set it back on its stand. She would do some research on the book later and maybe ask Princess Celestia if she knew anything about what was going on. She had given the book to Sunset, after all.

Sunset seemed to be having a lot harder of a time with this than Twilight had thought. Her outbursts were surprising; it wasn't like her. Twilight just hoped that her friend could forgive them eventually and that whatever was going on in the human world wasn't too big of a deal after all. Glancing at the mirror portal and the book one last time, the lavender alicorn left the room, pushing the worry and concern from her mind. It would be Hearth's Warming tomorrow, and she would try her best to help Sunset enjoy it.


End file.
